Refrigerator cooling tank for drinking water



Nov. l2, 1935. R. H. REID RERIGERATOR COOLING TANK FOR DRINKING WATER Filed Feb. 19, 1934 .El Il Patented Nov. i2, i935 UNITE-o STATES PATENT OFFICEl nemici-:aaron cooLlNG TANxro DRINKING WATER neben n. Reid, New York, N. Y.

Application February 19,1934, Serial No. 711,856 11 Claims. (Cl. 62-89) tank with a liquid such as water.

Still further the invention particularly proposes the arrangement of a ller tube from the tank upon the inner side of the door.

As another object of this invention it is proposed to arrange a faucet upon the tank upon the inner side of the door for the discharge of the water.

Another one of the objects of this invention is the provision of a sheet metal material covering the inner face of the door of the refrigerator,

and the arrangement of the water tank Within the door behind said sh'eet metal so as to readily receive the cold" from the refrigerator.

Still further another object -of this invention is the arrangement whereby the ller tube 'and the faucet are movably mounted to positions within or outside of the inner surface 'of the door. Still further the invention also proposes the arrangement of automatic means for moving the filler tube and faucet according to the previous paragraph. to an outward position when the refrigerator door is open, and to an inner position when the refrigerator door is' closed. The construction is such that when the door of the refrigerator'is closed there will be no protruding elements from theinner face which are liable to engage against objects from within the refrigerator.

Still further the invention proposes the construction of an article as mentioned which. 'is

simple and durable and which may bemanu.- factured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of theinvention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the followingl description and accompanying drawing, and. to the appended claims in which the various novelV features. of the invention are set forth.

In the accompanyingdrawing forming a materia1 part of this discmsure:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a refrigerator with a door constructed. according to this invention. I

- Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1, il- 55 lustrating particularly the inner face of the door.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the door of the refrigerator illustrated in Fig. 4 shown looking from the inside.

Fig. 6 is a` fragmentaryenlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.-

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional rial .mounted within the door for receiving view taken on the line 'I'-`I ofv Fig. 6" cold" from the refrigerator, and the provision of means for lling the tank and emptying the Fig. 8. is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 8.--8 of Fig. 5. I. y

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view 10 taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

' The refrigeratoi` cooling tank for drin'll'ingwa-A ter according to this invention is used in combination with a-refrigerator door III. Thisdoor is shown hingedly mounted by the hinges II 15 upon a refrigerator I2 of any design or construction. The door I0 is of conventional construction in many respects, for example, the provision. of packing material I3 along its edges so as to produce a sealing effect for the refrigerator when zo the door is closed. Furthermore the door -III is provided with aconventional shoulder `I4 adapted to vengage into the door' jamb ofthe refrigerator. I

A water tank I5 of sanitary non-corrosive 25 material is mounted within the door IIfor'the purpose of receiving cold )from the refrigeratorto cool the contents of the tank.' This tank is provided'witha filler tube IE arrangedupon the inner face of the door. Furthermore a faucet -30 n liquid through thetap to be stored within `the tank.V The faucet I'I is' arrangedat the bottom y of the tank and is adapted to allow the discharge of the liquid within the tank. As clearly il- 40 lustrated in 2'theffaucet I'I isI POSitioned` near the free edgeof the door so as to be ccnvenient to. persons drawing a supply vof 'liquid` from the tank.A The filler tube I6 may be located at the vertical center line of the door. 45 The tank I5 may be constructed of glass. china or other sanitary non-corrosive material. It is held in position by several `support elements I9 engaging against the edges of the tank and in` intimate contact with the inner edges of a hol- 50 low 20 formed in the door. Heat insulation 'material' 2| isarranged around the walls of the hollow 20 and against the supporting elements I8 for thepurpose of preventing heat fromv the exterlor traveling through the door into the refrigerator. Still further the hollow 20 `serves to insulate the refrigerator. The tank' I5 does not take up Vthe entire compass of the hollow 20 leaving particularly a passage 2li'- between the outerwauoftnenouowzlandthe tank is. n0

metal sheet cover 22 is secured upon the outside of the inner side of the door I0 and is in intimate contact with one face vof the tank` I5 so as to readily 'radiate the cold from the refri'gerator to the tank. .The arrangement is such that liquid such as water may be stored in the tank I5 and always be chilled ready for drinking. Oc-

cassional opening of the door will serve to move the tank so as to prevent the water from becoming stagnant or from freezing, under certain conditions.

In Figs. 4-8 inclusive, a modification of the invention has been disclosed wherein provision is made to have the filler tube and the faucet for the tank within the outside of the surface of the inner side of the door when the door is in the closed position, and an arrangement whereby the ller tube and faucet automatically move outside of the surface of the inner sideA of the door so as to be readily reachable to be used.

More particularly the filler tube I6' is formed with an' open upper end and is slidable upon a short piece of pipe 23 horizontally projecting from the tank I5. This tank I5 is formed with depressed portions Iii'L extending substantially across the entire width of the tank from the side adjacent thehinge of the door near the other side. The section shownin Fig. 8 ilustrates the tank I5' at a portion where it is of complete Width while the section on the line G--B or the section 1-1 show 4the tank with the reduced area. Within' these reduced areas-the filler tube I6 andthe faucetIT' are adapted to be housed. Packing material 25 isinterposed between the filler tube I6 and the pipe 23 so that the ller tube may -be moved outwards and then again moved inwards without leakage of liquid.

The faucet I1 is also slidably mounted upon a pipe 23 and is providedwith the packing 25 as described relative to the ller tube I6'. A mechmounted and terminating in' heads 30 for-medi with cam ends 3I adapted to act against the jamb of the door for causing the rods 29.'to move inwards. Springs 32 are coaxially arranged upon the rods 29 andact against standards. 33 supported from-the door so as to normally urge the rods 29 outwards..

In Fig. 4 the heads 3| are shown in intimate contact with the 'jamb of the door so that the rods 29` are in their inner positionsin which po# sitions the bell cranks 21 are pivoted so as vto hold'the filler tube I6 and faucet I1 in. retracted position.4 The retracted position is one as illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein these parts are within the surface of the inner side of the door. A sheet metal cover 22 is arranged across the inside of the door` as previously described, but this sheet metal cover is provided with openings 34 through which the filler tube and thefaucet may project.

lIn Fig. 5 the heads 3| are shown projected since f the door is shown outside of the door jamb. In

surface of the inner side of the door. In Figs. 6 and 9, the dot and dash lines illustrate the filler tube and the faucet in the-extended position- The filler tube I6 may also be so arranged that 5 ,when the door I0 is closed, the top of the ller tube I6 is aligned with an automatic release valve projectingfrom a water supply within the refrigerator and the tank I5 is lled automatically whenever the door I Il is closed. The valve' of the water supply pipe may be of any well known type which closes automatically when the filler tube I6 is moved out of contact. f The operation of the device is as follows:- When the door is in the closed position the filler tube and faucet are in their retracted positions. When the door is opened the springs 32 move the rods 29 so as to extend the heads 3|, and simultaneously pivot the bell cranks 21 to move the filler tube and the faucet into extended position, indicated by the dot and dash lines in Figs. 6 and 9. When the door is closed the extended heads 3| engage against the jamb of the door and are forced inwards moving the lrods 29 against the actions of the springs 32 Vand pivoting the bell 26 cranks 21 into their original positions, which moves the filler tube and thefaucet inwards into the positions illustrated by the full lines in Figs.

1 and 6.

While I have shown and described the pre- 30 ferred embodimentof my invention, it is tobe understood that I do not limit myself tothe precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications comy ing within the scope of the invention as defined 36 in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent' isz- 1. In combination with the door of a. refriger- 40 ator, a tank mounted within the' door for being cooled by the cold air within the refrigerator, a ller tube from the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the door for location within or outside of the surface of the inner side of the door, a faucet from the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the door for location within or outside of the surface of said inner side of the door, and means operative by the opening and closing of said door for moving'the lier tube 50- and faucet to the extended position when the door is opened and to the retracted position when `the -door is closed;

2. In combination with the door of a refrigerator, a tank mounted within the door for be- 65 ing cooled by the cold air within the refrigerator, a filler tube from the tank movably mount. ed on the inner side of vthe door for location within or outside of the surface of the inner side of the door, and a faucet from the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the door for location within or outside of the surface of said inner side ofthe door, and means for automatically moving said-flller tube to the extended position when the door is open and to the'retracted 65 f/p`osition when the door is closed. y

3.In combinationy with the door of a refrigerator, a tank mounted within the door for being cooled by thev cold air within the refrigerator,

a ller tube from the tank movably mounted on 70 the door, means for automatically moving said filler tube tothe extended position whenv the door is open and to the retracted position when the door is closed, and means for automatically moving said faucet tothe extended position when the door is open, and to the retracted position when the door is closed.

4. In combination-with the door of a refrigerator, a\ tank 'mounted within the door for be` ing cooled by theico'ld air within the, refrigerator, a filler tube from the tank movably mounted on the inner side ofthe door for location within or outside of the surface of the inner side of the door, a faucet from the tank movably mounted on lthe inner side of the door for location vwithin or outside of the surface of said inner side of the door, and means for automatically moving said filler tube to the extended position when the door-is open and to the retracted posi" tion when the door is closed, said automatic means comprising a rod slidably mounted through the door and having a head end with a cam portion adapted to engage against thejamb of the door for holdingy the rod inwards, means for moving said rod outwards, a bell crank connected at one end with said rod and the other end with said filler tube.

5. In combination with the door of a refrigerator, a tank mounted within the door for being cooled. by the cold air within the refrigerator, a filler tube from the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the door for location within or outside of the surface of the innerk side of the door, a 'faucet from the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the doorufor location within. or outside of the surface of said inner side of the door, means for automatically moving saidl filler tube to the extended position when the door is open and to the retracted position when the door is closed, means for automatically moving said faucet to the extended position when the door is open andv to the retracted fposition when the door is closed, said latter means comprising a rod slidably mounted in said door and having one end projecting therefrom, said projecting end being a cam engageable withthe jamb of the door for moving the rod inwards, means for moving the rod outwards, a bell crank pivotally mounted intermediately and connected at one end with the rod and at the other end'with the faucet.

6. In a refrigerator, a door. said door having spaced innerand outer walls forming a hollow space therebetween for insulation against transmission of heat, in 'combination with a tank of sanitary7i non-corrosive material mounted within the hollow space of the door to be cooled from within the refrigerator, a faucet connected to the tank protruding therefrom through the inner wall of the door, said tank being in intimate contact with the inner wall of the said door, but being spaced from the outer -wall of said door a distance substantially equal to the` inside measurement from front to back of said tank to provide a relatively large airpocket between the tank and the outer wall. y

7. In a refrigerator, a door, said doorl having spaced inner and outer walls forming a hollow space therebetween for insulation against trans-l mission of heat, in combination with a tank of sanitary non-corrosive material mounted within the hollow space of the door to be cooled from within the refrigerator, a faucet connected to the tank protruding therefrom through the inner wall of the door, said inner iwall comprising a metal sheet covering the inner side of the door, 5 said tank being in intimate contact with the inner face of the metal sheet but being separated from the outer wall of said door to provide an air lpocket between the tank and the outer wall, said air pocket being substantially equal in vol-'10 ume to the volume of said tank.

8. In a refrigerator, a door of hollow construction for insulation against-transmission of heat, in combination with a tank mounted within the hollow part of said door to be cooled from within 15 the refrigerator, a faucet from the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the door for loca-tion lwithin or outside of the surface of said inner side of the door, and means operated by the opening and closing of said door for moving the faucet 20 to the extended position when the door is opened and to the retracted position when the door is closed.

9.l In a refrigerator, a door of hollow construction fdr vinsulation against transmission of heat, 25 in combination' with a tank mounted withinthe hollow part of said door to be cooled from within the refrigerator, a faucet from the tank protruding therefrom on the inner side of the` door,

a ller tube from the tank movably mounted on 30 the inner side of the door for location within or outside of the surface of the innery side of the door, and means operated by the opening and closing lof said door for moving the filler tube to the extended position when the door is opened 35 and to the retracted position when the door is closed.

10. In combination with the door of a refrigerator, a tank mounted within the door for being'cooled by the cool air within the refrigerator, 40 a filler tubefrom the tank movably mounted on the inner side of the door for location within or outside of the surface of the Yinner side of said door, a faucet from 'the tank movably mounted on the innerside of the door for location within 45 or outside of the surface of said inner side of the door, and means for automatically moving said faucet to the extended position when the door is open and to the retracted position when the door is closed. 4

1l. In combination with the door of a refrigerator, a tank mounted within the door for being vcooled by the cool air within the refrigerator,

' automatically moving said faucet to the extended position when the do'or'is open and to the reo .tracted 4position when the door is closed, said automatic means comprising'l al rod .slidably mounted in s'aid door and Ahaving one end projecting therefrom, said projecting end being a cam engageable with the :lamb-of the door for u,

moving the rod inwards, means for' moving said rod outwards, a bell crank pivotally mounted intermediately and connected at one end with the rod and at the other end'with the faucet.

i( BOBERTYVH. REID. 

